Shipwrecks are the undeniable witnesses of history's passage. Many have been destroyed due to lying in shallow waters, the riches they might conceal, and, above all, the lack of adequate legislation.

In Spain, the main driving force behind the Euro-Mediterranean Forum on Maritime Archaeology, we have the Spanish Historical Heritage Law 16/1985. Internationally, a draft has been prepared to be debated in Paris from 26th March to 5th April by representatives of over 100 countries, aiming to put an end to so-called "treasure hunters".

Sunken remains


For many years, treasure seekers motivated by profit, adventure, or science have traversed the seas, engaging in scuba diving:
  • Robert Stenuit owns a private museum. He is the discoverer of several wrecks from the Spanish Armada and the Rande Galleons.
  • Bob Marx found the city of Port Royal in Jamaica and the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas in the Bahamas. Like the pirates and privateers of old, the crews of his expeditions are armed to defend their plunder.
  • Rubén Collado recovered a treasure valued at over one billion pesetas from El Preciado, which was sunk by English pirates in 1792 off Montevideo.
  • An American company called Seahawk investigates deep-sea wrecks using advanced underwater robotics. To this day, no law regulates submerged heritage in international waters (beyond 200 miles), meaning the first to reach a wreck becomes its legitimate owner. Hence UNESCO's urgency to address this legal gap.
There are documents about shipwrecks laden with vast riches and their locations. Many remain unplundered due to inaccessibility but are targeted by treasure hunters, evoking fabulous legends. For example, in 1702, around 40 ships from the Spanish treasure fleet sank in the Rande Strait (Redondela – Vigo). The myth of the buried treasures there inspired Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea".

Underwater fauna next to the wrecks


Major Archaeological Discoveries

But the value of shipwrecks lies not only in hidden treasures. They are crucial testimonies for reconstructing history. Technological advances, from scuba gear to differential magnetometry, facilitate underwater archaeological excavations:
  • German archaeologist H. Schliemann discovered ancient Troy on Turkey's coast in the 19th century.
  • Thanks to the invention of surface-supplied diving equipment, remains of Roman and Greek ships were found in the 19th century, yielding priceless historical-artistic artefacts, most notably the Greek Antikythera wreck.
  • American George Bass, considered the father of underwater archaeology, recently discovered the prehistoric wreck of Ulu-Burum off Turkey's coast.


They are all over the world

The famous wreck of the Spanish galleon San Diego, sunk on 14th December 1600 during a trade-driven battle with the Dutch, was located in 1991. The investigation, led by Franck Goddio, relied on survivors' accounts (archived in the Archivo de Indias) and subsequent geophysical surveys.

Excavations took place over two campaigns, recovering over 5,000 objects: the first retrieved 14 bronze cannons, jars, anchors, and a prized astrolabe; the second uncovered 1,800 pieces of fine porcelain, Ming Dynasty Chinese ceramics, gold items, silver coins, and other artefacts reflecting the cultural and racial diversity aboard the legendary Manila galleons. Recovery required over 1,700 hours of diving at depths of 50–60m using compressed air tanks and a budget of 16 million francs.

Underwater robots and GPS have captured images of a 17th-century Spanish galleon and 3D mappings of its contents, helping historians recreate life onboard.

Off Our Coasts

Much closer to home and far shallower lies the Laredo Shipwreck Site. Off the Cantabrian coast, under 10m of water (though buried under sand), the Dutch ship Snelhyd, sunk in 1719, was discovered. The recovered artefacts will feature in Laredo's future Maritime Museum.

Wreck diving


Our coasts have witnessed many other shipwrecks. Dozens of vessels lie off Finisterre: Spanish Navy ships, English battleships and freighters, WWII submarines... Twenty Spanish Armada ships sunk in 1596 were located 400 years later.

In Cartagena harbour, the transport ship Castillo de Olite sank in 1939. The Spanish Civil War caused further losses, like the submarine B-6, battleship España, fishing vessel Vendaval, and cruiser Baleares.

Hundreds of Spanish ships lie submerged across maritime geography, even reaching Antarctica, where searches continue for the San Telmo, last sighted in 1819. The wreck remains undiscovered, but crew footwear has been found.


Discover incredible things

This isn’t the first time Spain has sought to recover shipwrecks. Over 200 years ago, Charles III hired 40 European divers to salvage treasures from the San Pedro de Alcántara, with Portugal’s permission, as it sank off the Papoa Peninsula. This archaeological effort continues today, with Lima-minted coins bearing Charles III’s image still emerging.